How To Crochet a Basic Granny Square

The Granny Square is the quintessential motif to all crochet. If you can do a granny square really the sky is the limit for you! The basic granny square is super easy, fun and easy to modify to fit your needs.

My first granny square was made using red, light pink and white yarn. I didn’t fully understand how to do the corners so it began to pucker at the center and when I was done it looked like a boob! LMAO! Once I realized what I was doing wrong I was fascinated with the granny square and understood why so many crocheters like to use it. It is a no brainer project which is nice to have after a long day at work.

So, after many years of making granny squares I realized that a each granny square pattern has the same basic construction but there may be a tweak here and there. For me, I found the best granny square pattern for me is one that ends with a sc join instead of a slip stitch. WHAT, you say, YOU CAN DO THAT? Yes you certainly can and I am gong to show you how.

Below are the instructions for a basic granny square with two options. In the video I show you option 1 thru rnd 1. After that I show you how a little modification can get the same results but I find it easier…that is option 2.

Once you have the general concept down for the granny square you can do anything. Okay, let’s go and take a look at how this is done.

Materials

Pattern

Basic Granny Square

Set-up rnd: Chain 4 (remember the stitch on your hook does not count as a chain), join with a slip stitch to the first chain to form a ring,

Option 1…Basic Granny Square (this one you will turn after each round)

This option totally works; I just much prefer option 2 and that is what I show in the video.

Rnd 1: Chain 3 (counts as a double crochet so place a stitch marker in the 3rd chain of the chain 3), 2 double crochet in the center of the ring, chain 1, 3 double crochet in the ring, chain 1, 3 double crochet in ring, chain 1, 3 double crochet in ring, chain 1, join with a slip stitch to 3rd chain of original ch-3 (the stitch that is marked), turn.

Rnd 2: Chain 3 (counts as a double crochet, place a stitch marker in the 3rd ch of this), 2 double crochet (dc) in ch-1 space, ch 1, 3 dc in same ch-1 space (You have now created a corner that consist of 3 dc, a chain 1 and 3 more dc) in next ch-1 space do everything that is in the brackets, [ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc] (you now have a second corner made), in next ch-1 space do everything that is in the brackets, [ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc] (you now have a 3rd corner made), in next ch-1 space do everything that is in the brackets, [ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc] (you now have 4 corners made and should be at the end of the round), ch 1, join with a slip stitch to 3rd ch of original ch-3 (the stitch that is marked), turn.

Rnd 3: Chain 3 (counts as a double crochet, place a stitch marker in the 3rd ch of this), 2 dc in ch-1 space, *[ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc] in the corner ch-1 space, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 space; rep from * twice more, ch 1, join with a slip stitch to 3rd ch of original ch-3 (the stitch that is marked), turn.

Rnd 4 and beyond: You now can see a sequence beginning. From this point forward, at all the ch-1 spaces between the corners you will only do ch 1, 3 dc. At all the ch-1 spaces in the corner you will do the [ch 1, 3dc, ch 1, 3 dc] so that the corner continues to grow and your square will not pucker.

You can repeat this as many times as you wish to get a square as large as you desire!

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Option 2…Marly’s Way (this one you will NOT turn after each round)

Rnd 1 (option 2…Marly’s way): Chain 3 (counts as a double crochet so place a stitch marker in the 3rd chain of the chain 3), 2 double crochet in the center of the ring, chain 1, 3 double crochet in the ring, chain 1, 3 double crochet in ring, chain 1, 3 double crochet in ring, sc in 3rd chain of original ch-3 (the stitch that is marked). Doing the join this way places your loop and hook in the appropriate place for the next rnd, DO NOT TURN.

Rnd 2: Chain 3 (counts as a double crochet, place a marker in the 3rd ch of this), 2 double crochet (dc) around the joining single crochet (sc) you used to join the last round (this is the first half of the first corner…this will make more sense as you come back to this), in next ch-1 space do everything that is in the brackets, [ ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc] (you now have a complete 2nd corner created), in next ch-1 space do everything that is in the brackets, [ ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc] (you now have a complete 3rd corner created), in next ch-1 space do everything that is in the brackets, [ ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc] (you now have a complete fourth corner created), around the joining sc you used to join the last round and next to the first ch-3 do 3 dc (this will complete the first corner), sc join into the 3rd ch of the original ch-3 (the stitch that is marked), DO NOT TURN.

Rnd 3: Chain 3 (counts as a double crochet, place a marker in the 3rd ch of this), 2 dc around the joining sc, *ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 space, [ch1, 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc] in the corner ch-1 space, ; rep from * twice more, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 space, ch 1, 3 dc around the joining sc and next to the first ch-3, sc join into the 3rd ch of the original ch-3 (the stitch that is marked), DO NOT TURN.

Rnd 4 and beyond: You now can see a sequence beginning. From this point forward, you begin with a ch 3 and 2 dc in the sc join, then at all the ch-1 spaces between the corners you will only do ch 1, 3 dc. At all the ch-1 spaces in the corner you will do the [ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc] so that the corner continues to grow and your square will not pucker.